Digest: Encina, Gilbert win top Maryland media awards

EddieInTheYard is honored by the National Sports Media Association.

Reporter Eduardo A. Encina, who covers the Orioles for The Baltimore Sun, has been named a first-time winner of the Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Pete Gilbert of WBAL-TV has been named Maryland Sportscaster of the Year for the second time. They will be honored by the National Sports Media Association (formerly known as the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association) at its 58th annual awards weekend June 25-26 in Winston-Salem, N.C.

NBA:Bojan Bogdanovic had 27 points off the bench and Bradley Beal added 23 as the visiting Washington Wizards ended an eight-game losing streak against the Toronto Raptors with a 105-96 win on Wednesday night. John Wall had 12 points and 13 assists for his 39th double-double of the season as the third-place Wizards took the first of a home-and-home series against Toronto, moving a game up on the fourth-place Raptors in the standings. DeMar DeRozan had 24 points and Serge Ibaka added 22 more for the Raptors, who were again without All-Star Kyle Lowry, after the guard's wrist surgery that will keep him out the remainder of the regular season. ... The Wizards signed guard Brandon Jenningsand waived forward Danuel House.

Men's national college lacrosse games:Bennett Drake had a game-high five goals and Justin Reh had four to lead No. 15 Albany (2-1) to a 17-8 victory over visiting Massachusetts (0-4). The Great Danes used a 7-1 run in the second quarter to pull away. ... Dox Aitken scored five goals to help No. 9 Virginia (4-1) win, 18-12, over visiting High Point (2-3). The Cavaliers went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter.

Men's college lacrosse honors: Co-No. 1 Maryland and No. 3 Johns Hopkins are tied for second in the country with three players each on the Tewaaraton Award watch list, which was released by the Tewaaraton Foundation on Tuesday night. The Terps (4-0) are represented by three seniors: short-stick defensive midfielder Isaiah Davis-Allen and attackmen Colin Heacock (Boys' Latin) and Matt Rambo. Joining them on the 50-candidate list for the Blue Jays (4-0) are senior defenseman Nick Fields and two juniors, attackman Shack Stanwick (Boys' Latin) and midfielder Joel Tinney. No. 4 Notre Dame leads the nation with four players. No. 11 Loyola Maryland and No. 13 Towson have two each on the list. The Greyhounds (1-2) are represented by redshirt senior midfielder Brian Sherlock and sophomore attackman Pat Spencer (Boys' Latin). The Tigers (2-0) put two seniors, short-stick defensive midfielder Jack Adams (Hereford) and attackman Ryan Drenner (Westminster) on the list. The lone candidate for Navy (1-3) is senior defenseman Chris Fennell. Other players on the list from the area include senior faceoff specialist Stephen Kelly (Calvert Hall) for No.7 North Carolina; junior attackman Chris Walsch (Gilman) for Air Force; and junior attackman Mikey Wynne (St.Paul's) for Notre Dame.

—Edward Lee

Baseball: The Short-A Aberdeen IronBirds and Harford County Public Library have partnered to host a book reading with former Oriole and Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Bill Ripken on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Abingdon Library at 2510 Tollgate Road. After the reading, Ripken will be available for fan photographs and autographs. For more information, go to IronBirdsBaseball.com or call 410-297-9292.

Boxing: The World Boxing Council featherweight championship fight between Olympian Gary Russell Jr. of Capitol Heights and Oscar Escandon, set for March 11 at MGM National Harbor, has been postponed. Escandon's promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, said in a statement that his fighter injured his back and will be out until April. Escandon is the mandatory challenger for Russell's WBC belt. The fight was set to be the main event during the first sporting event at the new MGM property that opened Dec. 8.

—Gene Wang, The Washington Post

NHL: The Washington Capitals recalled forward Paul Carey from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League and reassigned Riley Barber to Hershey. ... Capitals goaltender Braden Holtbywas named the NHL's "Third Star" for February.

Women's indoor track and field: Johns Hopkins sophomore Felicia Koerner was named U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Athlete of the Week.

Women's college basketball:Coppin State freshman center Chance Graham was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week. ... Harford Community College (27-2) moved up two spots to No. 11 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I poll.